5-12-2022 4:34am

2022: Year of Harriet Tubman in Maryland

Jill Jasuta

Celebrating her life, honoring her legacy, marking the 200th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s birth.

Two-hundred years ago, in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Araminta Ross was born enslaved, but the woman who would become Harriet Tubman would not be denied liberty. Tubman grew up strong, and though she was not taught to read or write, she learned to read the world around her. Tubman learned skills to survive and succeed in the forests, marshes, bays, and fields of the Eastern Shore and she was accepted into the network of Black mariners who plied the Chesapeake Bay sharing news and information. These skills, developed among family and community, would become the key to unlock the bonds of slavery. In 1849, at the age of 27, Tubman self-liberated, traveling the Underground Railroad nearly 90 miles, alone and on foot, to freedom.

Not content with her own liberation while others still toiled in slavery, Tubman returned to Maryland again and again, leading others to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and earning the title “The Moses of Her People.” During the Civil War, Tubman continued her valiant fight in the name of freedom, serving in the Union Army as a nurse, a spy, and as the first woman to lead American troops in battle. Later, she became a pioneering women’s suffragist and a shining light in the struggle for gender-equity. Truly, few souls have carried themselves with such remarkable moral clarity or stood so fiercely on the side of America’s better angels.

Come see where Harriet Tubman was born and lived, and witness the powerful stories of her inspiring strength, legendary courage, and fierce leadership in pristine natural landscapes little changed from the time when Tubman forged her indelible legacy of freedom.

1Travel the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway
2Visit the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
3Jazz at the Mural
4Find Maryland Events Commemorating Tubman 200
5Witness the Life of a Hero with this Harriet Tubman Biography
6Separate the Myths from the Facts of Harriet Tubman’s Incredible Life

Previous1Travel the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway

Visit Dorchester

Connecting important places in the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, this beautiful byway invites travelers to follow in the footsteps of Tubman and other heroes who fought for freedom. Order a free print copy or download the byway map and guide here, and follow this link to access the free and fascinating byway audio tour.

MORE INFO...2Visit the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center

VisitDorchester.org

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center near Cambridge celebrates the famed Underground Railroad conductor. Learn about this American hero through exhibits and an audio tour of the landscape.

Set in the stunning Eastern Shore landscape little changed from when Tubman lived here, this incredible place brings visitors face-to-face with the woman whose ideals, insights, hard work, and heroism inspire the world.

MORE INFO...3Jazz at the Mural

Eric Byrd Trio

Every second Saturday, April through November 2022
Music is a soothing balm for the soul and was important to Harriet. She used songs as a way to communicate. Music gave her strength and inspiration. And it nourished her faith and resolve. "Jazz at the Mural" is the #1 premier concerts series on the Eastern Shore bringing you the best in jazz, blues, soul, and contemporary sounds.

MORE INFO4Find Maryland Events Commemorating Tubman 200

Across Maryland and throughout 2022, these events will bring people together to honor and illuminate Harriet Tubman, one of America’s most revered heroes.

MORE INFO...5Witness the Life of a Hero with this Harriet Tubman Biography

Maryland Governor's Office

Born enslaved, Tubman seized her own freedom and never stopped fighting for justice. Learn more about her story with this Harriet Tubman biography and printable PDF.

MORE INFO...6Separate the Myths from the Facts of Harriet Tubman’s Incredible Life